Man tries to smuggle 35 finches past US customs for singing contests
April 28, 2021, 9:45 am

Man tries to smuggle 35 finches past US customs for singing contests

Two jury members sit in the playground of the school Henry Agarande, during a song contest of 'Pikolet' chestnut-bellied seed finch (Sporophila angolensis) birds in Cayenne, in the French overseas department of Guiana, on November 28, 2020. (File photo: AFP)

Customs officials at New York’s JFK Airport discovered 35 live finches attached to a man’s jacket and ankles as he attempted to smuggle them into the country for singing competitions, federal prosecutors said Tuesday.

A search revealed the man was wearing dozens of small cylindrical containers with mesh-covered openings, allowing the birds inside to breathe, according to photos published online.

Approximately a dozen of the containers, which were made from hair curlers, were attached to the inside of his jacket, while the rest were wrapped around his ankles.

When questioned, the man said that he was offered $3,000 to transport the birds, receiving $500 before he leaving the capital of Guyana, Georgetown. He was to receive the remaining balance upon delivery in the US.

Finches are prized for their joyful and melodious song, with singing competitions regularly held in parts of the New York boroughs of Queens and Brooklyn, which include betting.

A winning finch can be worth more than $10,000, according to a special agent for the US Fish and Wildlife Service in the document released by prosecutors Tuesday.

Finches from Guyana are in particularly high demand due to their superior singing abilities.

The man was released on $25,000 bond, according to documents.

Worldwide, officials seized 20,762 wild animals in 2017, according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), citing the last available figure.

source: Reuters

Image source: AFP

Levant

Mexico to produce Russia’s Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine China waging economic warfare against tech sector, Taiwan says

BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”